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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/30062136">distraction</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/bromota/pseuds/bromota'>bromota</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gay Momota Kaito, M/M, One Shot, Shuichi and Kokichi are sort of on the side, i am also stupid, it’s saimota., kaede and kaito are pals, kaede interrogates kaito about being a homo, kaito and kaede are stupid, kokichi is moving because i needed a reason for them to be tired, they’re helping him move</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 17:28:35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,980</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/30062136</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/bromota/pseuds/bromota</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Well, Shuichi still struggles, obviously.” Kaito’s awkward look melts into a pained and pitiful grin as he looks down at the floor. “I guess I’m just trying to distract him from all the stuff he’s going through, is all.” </p><p>He turns his head towards Kaede, his face instinctively lighting up just a bit. He looks at her with a smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “After all, it’s the best I can do for him, y’know?”</p><p>☆</p><p>Kaito and Kaede have a small chat while on break.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Akamatsu Kaede &amp; Momota Kaito, Momota Kaito/Saihara Shuichi, Saimota - Relationship, momosai, saimomo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>41</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>distraction</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>haven’t used this in a while, have some saimota to make ur day better! i didn’t proofread this so hopefully shit makes sense, and if not that’s my bad. byebye now!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kaito and Kaede are watching Shuichi take Kokichi's heaviest moving boxes into the truck.</p><p>They sit at the other side of the street, in the only shady spot for what seems like a mile in the hot summer weather. Kaito groans as he leans down to grab his water.</p><p>"Akamatsu, we should head back. We've been on break long enough." </p><p>Kaito's panting more than Kaede; that being said, he was also still wearing a jacket over his t-shirt, which he was either incredibly set on keeping on his body or simply didn't notice.</p><p>"First, take off your jacket," Without waiting for a response, Kaede walks over to him and peels it off his body with some difficulty due to the sweat sticking it onto his skin. "You're going to die of heatstroke or something!" </p><p>Kaito just sits there with a blank but thoughtful face and lets her take it off him. "I guess I didn't realize I had it on." He wipes his forehead, surprisingly not covered by hair as it usually would be. His hair is instead held back by a plain black headband. </p><p>"Momota-kun, that's ridiculous." She discards the jacket next to a number of other things they left in the area; they tried to keep their things in the shade to keep them cool, but it was mainly to no avail. It's evident from the way Kaito wrinkles his face as he takes another sip from his water that it’s gone warm. "Ugh." </p><p>Kaede stares at him curiously, under the shade of a tree which allowed small splotches of light to dance around on their skin and on the ground. The spots never move, except with the occasional bird or squirrel shifting the tree leaves.</p><p>He seemed to have something on his mind.</p><p>Kaito places his hand above his eyes in a lazy salute to give his eyes shade and looks up at the sky. Snapping herself out of her own thoughts, Kaede follows his gaze, properly equipped with sunglasses for the day. </p><p>Kaito squints hard. "It really is pretty hot out today, huh." The tree above them, which would usually have at least the smallest rustling of leaves, did not move. The lack of wind or clouds in the sky made everything seem frozen in time; the only things that moved were their friends across the street and an occasional car that passed by.</p><p>"Duh, obviously." Kaede snorts, taking off her sunglasses and shoving them into her pocket.</p><p>"Well, let's go." Kaito stands up from the fence he was sitting on, the long basketball shorts he was wearing shifting down over his knees again. Earlier, Kaede had warned him the fence might break under his weight, but that seemed to not be the case. He starts to walk towards the road without a second thought. </p><p>"Ah, wait, Momota-kun!" Kaede quickly steps towards him, grabbing his arm. "Hm?" He turns to look at her with an awkward smile. She huffs with mild irritation and drags him back into the shade.</p><p>"I forgot. Since we're alone, I wanted to ask you something, Momota-kun." She turns her head towards the other side of the road, to find Shuichi sitting inside the moving truck. He notices her staring, and waves a bit half-heartedly. She shoots him a quick smile and wink, then looks back at Kaito.</p><p>He is staring at her, with that same awkward smile plastered onto his face. Behind his harmless look Kaede senses a hint of worry, and she sighs. "Ah, Momota-kun, don't look at me like some kind of lost puppy."</p><p>She crosses her arms as Kaito's smile fades into an entirely neutral face. He appears confused, as per usual—Kaede can't really tell if he actually is confused all the time or if that's just how his resting face looks. She doesn't have the heart to ask. Maybe it's both, she thinks.</p><p>She realizes that despite telling Kaito she had to ask him a question, she hasn't actually asked him yet. "Right, okay, so Momota-kun..." Kaito continues to look at her, but he backs away and sits himself back down on his spot on the fence. Kaede stops and waits for him.</p><p>"I'm curious." She finally says. Kaito nearly loses his balance for a moment, but catches his feet. He tucks them underneath himself in a sort of perch, his arms wrapped over his legs.</p><p>"Whatcha curious about, Akamatsu? You'll never get an answer if you don't spit it out already!" He chuckles a bit, and it comes out dry due to the hot weather. He reaches down, and takes a sip of his water again. </p><p>Kaede finds that she should probably do so too, and drinks her own. "Right! So, I just wanted to ask," She takes a moment to adjust the bottom of her shirt, a well-fitted tank-top with a simple music note on the chest. It's her favorite shirt to wear on a hot day.</p><p>"Well, I guess I'm just curious about why you always train with Saihara-kun, is all."</p><p>Kaito quirks an eyebrow and looks up at the sky again, scratching his chin. "Why I train with Shuichi, huh?"</p><p>He doesn't protect his eyes this time, and he squints from the brightness of the sky. Kaede thinks it must hurt, but she says nothing. Last time she did, Kaito said it didn't bother him. That looking at the sky helped him think.</p><p>Kaito stays quiet for a long while. Kaede shuffles her feet awkwardly at the silence, waiting for Kaito to stop staring off into nothing. His leg begins to bounce and sway a bit. Kaito said doing that helps him think, too.</p><p>She almost goes forward to snap him out of it, but he turns his head to her just as the thought crosses her mind.</p><p>"I'm worried about him," he says plainly.</p><p>"Momota-kun, that.." Kaede feels her mood sink a bit and her face falls into a pout. "That's really obvious. Don't be so vague."</p><p>Kaito tilts his head.</p><p>"DETAILS, Momota-kun. Give me, like, an actual reason." Kaede flashes Kaito an exasperated glare and leans against a spot on the fence next to him.</p><p>This time, Kaito thinks while staring at Kaede. Well, not necessarily at her—he was sort of zoned out—but in her general direction.</p><p>"It's just kinda hard to put into words..?" Kaito avoids Kaede's eyes and he scratches the back of his head. Kaede frowns at him, and he scowls back. "Don't give me that look, Akamatsu! Why do ya even wanna know?"</p><p>“I just know that there's a different reason behind it! Saihara-kun… He's my best friend! So I just want to know!” Kaede crosses her arms, and Kaito makes a face at her. “What, is it private or something?”</p><p>“I guess you could say that.” Kaito shifts around awkwardly. “I just haven't really told anyone. Hell, I haven't even told Shuichi. It’s not really, like, a secret or anything, though…”</p><p>“So just tell me already!” Kaede pouts. “I figure it’s something important!”</p><p>Kaito’s hand moves from the back of his head to the side of his neck, and he itches at it. Kaede notices the spot he’s scratching quickly turning a reddish color, and she brushes his hand away. This prompts Kaito to say, “Well, Akamatsu, could I be completely honest with you?”</p><p>“That’s what I’ve been asking for,” She giggles in response. Kaito notices the twinge of exasperation in her words, and folds his hands, aimlessly staring at his fingers as they tap the backs of his own hands.</p><p>“I mean, I guess it started as something different.” Kaito parts his hands. “At first, I told Shuichi it was to make him stronger. He knows that, at least, and it was true for a while, but…” Kaito stares across the street at Shuichi, who is having a kind of one-sided conversation with Kokichi; Shuichi attempting to make sense of whatever the hell Kokichi is saying, and Kokichi spouting nonsense at any turn he gets.</p><p>“Shuichi is stronger than me, y’know.”</p><p>Kaede gives Kaito a look of perplexion. “Momota-kun, I know Saihara-kun is much stronger now than before, but..” She gestures towards Kaito’s muscular build with a look that says, Are you an idiot?</p><p>Kaito shoots Kaede a playful side-glare. “That isn’t what I meant, Akamatsu! Don’t take me for some kinda idiot!” He shoves away her gesturing hands with a scoff. “Then,” Kaede finally stops leaning on the fence and gives in on the urge to sit down next to Kaito. “What DID you mean by that?”</p><p>“When I started training Shuichi, I was just trying to help him get, well… Emotionally stronger, you know? ‘Cuz, well, for a while he… Wasn’t doing too great?” He looks at Kaede for a response, and she simply nods. </p><p>Kaito nods back. “Now, of course, training made him real strong physically, even if that wasn’t really the point. I’m really proud of him.” Kaito continues to stare at Shuichi across the street, a sense of fondness filling his gaze.</p><p>Kaede ponders Kaito’s words for a little bit. “So, you’re saying… Shuichi’s stronger than you emotionally?” </p><p>Kaito makes an awkward face and looks to the side, his lip protruding out in an exaggerated pout. “That’s not what I meant! I just mean that… Shuichi is stronger than he was before. And, he doesn’t need a guy like me to help him get stronger anymore.”</p><p>Kaede tilts her head, making hair droop over her eyes. She hastily brushes it out of her face with her hand, wishing she’d worn her favorite piano note hairclips to keep it up. “So, why do you keep training with him, then? You haven’t shown any signs of stopping anytime soon.” </p><p>“Well, Shuichi still struggles, obviously.” Kaito’s awkward look melts into a pained and pitiful grin as he looks down at the floor. “I guess I’m just trying to distract him from all the stuff he’s going through, is all.” </p><p>He turns his head towards Kaede, his face instinctively lighting up just a bit. He looks at her with a smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “After all, it’s the best I can do for him, y’know? He’s- Well, he’s amazing, really. You need to cherish the time you can have with someone like him. Not a lotta people are as special as he is, y’know...?” Kaito slowly lifts his hand, covering the bottom of his face. He coughs awkwardly and trails off, his face reddened. </p><p>Kaede couldn’t quite tell if it was from the heat, or... Another thing. Something deeper than that.</p><p>“...” Kaede opens her mouth to respond, but no words come out. Instead, she’s interrupted by a shout from across the street.</p><p>“HEY! You two lazy-asses haven’t done diddly squat for over 20 minutes!” Kokichi’s ear-piercing voice screeches from the other side of the street. </p><p>Kaito quickly shuffles himself off the fence and rushes across the street, as if relieved to get away from the prying questions of Kaede. </p><p>Kaede simply watches him leave. “I’ll be there in a bit!” She calls back, jumping down from the fence.</p><p>I think I understand now, Momota-kun, she thinks as she watches Kaito wrap an arm around Shuichi’s shoulder with his signature large grin. Shuichi smiles back at Kaito warmly, his navy hair drooping from his head due to the large amounts of sweat. <br/>Kaito takes his headband off his head and puts it on Shuichi’s with a laugh, keeping the boy’s hair out of his face. </p><p>Kaito then shakes his head around, his damp and long hair flopping around like a wet dog’s fur. Shuichi giggles and takes a step back, holding his hands out in front of him in an attempt to deflect any of the water Kaito shakes off his hair from getting on him.</p><p>Kaede smiles.</p><p>Oh Momota-kun, what an idiot. You’ll have to tell him eventually.</p>
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